Senate debates

Tuesday, 6 October 2020

Documents

Centrelink; Order for the Production of Documents

6:28 pm

Photo of Richard ColbeckRichard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) Share this | | Hansard source

I table documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning Centrelink's compliance program.

Photo of Carol BrownCarol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Tourism) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the documents.

What we saw here today in the tabling of the documents by the minister was again the government trying to cover up the robodebt scandal. Throughout the public outcry, the Senate inquiry, a flood of AAT court cases and a class action, it has said, 'Nothing to see here.' That's what the government has said: 'Nothing to see here. The system is working as intended.' The Morrison government has attempted to stifle questioning of its decision-making around the biggest social security scandal committed by a government against its people. That's what it's done: it has attempted to stifle questioning of its decision-making around the biggest social security scandal committed by a government against its people.

They have put robots in the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee's Centrelink compliance program inquiry, in the form of the public interest immunity claims. We saw it again today, and we will continue to see it from this government.

Debate interrupted.

Sitting suspended from 18:30 to 20:30